So Mumbai Indians ended their 13-year IPL opening match jinx with a sensational victory over Kolkata Knight Riders in front of a raucous Wankhede crowd. The match was all about runs, runs and more runs at the end of the day as only eight wickets fell and 444 runs were scored in both innings.
You tend to feel for the bowlers at times like these. It is never easy to play on the tracks that have now become the norm in the IPL.
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MI vs KKR, IPL 2026: UPDATE | SCORECARD
Often you just hope and pray that your day will come and that you will come home with as little damage as possible. This is where Jasprit Bumrah simply stands out from the rest.
Bumrah arrived late to join the MI unit, but as Rajinikanth’s famous dialogue goes, “Naan late-aah vanthallum, latest aa varuven (Even if I arrive late, I will arrive in style).” IPL 2026: Bumrah was once again a key factor in MI’s win over KKR. (Photo: PTI)
So what was the latest trick from the master who seems to keep getting better and better?
For starters, it would be criminal not to take off our hats to Shardul Thakur, who took three wickets to dismiss the KKR trio of Ajinkya Rahane, Finn Allen and Cameron Green.
Mind you, KKR were overpowering the MI bowling at one point and even Bumrah went for 11 runs in his first over. That’s when Shardul did what he does best – pick up wickets. But this was not the turning point of the game. It all comes down to the 12th over of KKR’s innings where Bumrah’s magic was in full swing.
HOW BUMRAH’S OVER CHANGED THE GAME FOR MUMBAI?
Before we get into this 12th ending, let’s take a look at what has happened in the game up to that point. KKR got off to a dream start with the bat. Rahane and Allen added 69 runs off 32 balls and Green came in and tried to continue the onslaught. Rahane was batting beautifully and it looked like 250-260 was on the cards at that point.
There were very few overs that were in single figures and KKR seemed to be on the rise.
By the 10th over, KKR were 120 for two and sizing up a big total. They had Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi at a fluid pace at this point, with Rinku Singh and Ramandeep Singh waiting in the wings.
That’s when Bumrah came in for his second match. It followed the familiar template for a star pacer in the IPL – one in the powerplay, another in the middle and two at the death. Boult and Bumrah will be the key pace for MI this season. (Photo: PTI)
The first delivery to Rahane was short and angled into the body, forcing him to guide it to third man. The next ball to Raghuvanshi was a brilliant yorker and he gave just another run. Rahane then got a yorker which he could only push for a single.
Another delivery, another yorker – this time Raghuvanshi couldn’t even run away. The next ball was accurate to a length, just another single resulted. Bumrah strayed onto the pads once but no damage was done. The stadium erupted in applause and so did the fans watching at home.
RESULT
Now there’s a reason why it’s Game of the Day. Not too long ago, Bumrah produced something similar – at the same venue.
In the T20 World Cup semi-final, he played a sensational 18 against a marauding England, conceding just six runs when the game seemed to be slipping away. On that day, Hardik Pandya followed up the good work and completed it. Similarly, MI bowlers took cue from Bumrah and started hampering KKR’s run.
Trent Boult scored just eight runs in the next over, while Shardul conceded six before picking up the wicket of Rahane. Ghazanfar and Shardul bagged 31 off the next two overs, but the damage to KKR’s momentum had already been done. Bumrah came back for his third over and gave away just eight runs in the 18th over.
Hardik conceded 10 in the next over and Bumrah finished things off brilliantly in the final over despite conceding a no-ball and an out at the start.
He may have finished with no wickets to show for his efforts, conceding 35 runs, but the decider ensured that KKR’s run rate dipped below 10 in the middle overs and they struggled to regain momentum.
Signs look good for Mumbai this season, especially with the click of the bat. But again it will be the bowling that will decide if they can win their sixth IPL title. Or maybe it’s just that one man – with his unorthodox behavior – will quietly remind everyone why he’s still the best in the business.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
March 30, 2026 10:31 AM IST
